Prosthetic angled locking coupler device

Abstract

A locking coupler device for connecting a residual limb socket to a lower limb prosthesis is provided having a body with a top mounting surface, a bottom mounting surface, an anterior area and a posterior area. The top mounting surface is adapted to connect to the residual limb socket at a defined location on the top mounting surface. The bottom mounting surface is adapted to connect to the lower limb prosthesis at a defined location on the bottom mounting surface. The top and bottom mounting surfaces are horizontally offset such that a longitudinal centerline of the residuum limb socket is located from about 0.5 to about 4.0 inches anterior of a longitudinal centerline of the lower limb prosthesis when the residual limb socket and the lower limb prosthesis are attached to the top and bottom mounting surfaces, respectively, of the coupler device. In addition, the top mounting surface is inclined posterior to anterior at an angle from about 5° to about 20° relative to the bottom mounting surface.

1. A coupler device for connecting a residual limb socket to a lower limb prosthesis comprising:
 a coupler body having a top mounting surface and a bottom mounting surface and having an anterior area and a posterior area; 
 said top mounting surface connecting said top mounting surface to a residual limb socket at a defined location on said top mounting surface; 
 said bottom mounting surface being adapted to connect said bottom mounting surface to said lower limb prosthesis at a defined location on said bottom mounting surface; 
 said top and bottom mounting surfaces being horizontally offset such that a longitudinal centerline of said residual limb socket is located from about 0.5 to about 4.0 inches anterior of a longitudinal centerline of the lower limb prosthesis when said residual limb socket and said lower limb prosthesis are attached to the top and bottom mounting surfaces, respectively, of the coupler device; 
 said top mounting surface being inclined in the posterior to anterior direction at an angle from about 5° to about 20° relative to said bottom mounting surface; 
 said residual limb socket having a distal end and a proximal end, and said residual limb socket being attached to a sleeve having a proximal end and a distal end housing a receptacle; 
 wherein said coupler body further comprises an aperture on said top mounting surface receiving both an alignment bushing and a pin, said pin comprising a shaft and a series of elevated rings along said shaft and said alignment bushing includes a notch that is sized to fit a dowel pin, and a transverse aperture at the top mounting surface which intersects said aperture of said top mounting surface when said pin is inserted. 
 
   
   
     2. The device of  claim 1  wherein said longitudinal centerline of said residual limb socket is located from about 0.5 inches to about 3 inches anterior of said longitudinal centerline of said lower limb prosthesis when the residual limb socket and the lower limb prosthesis are attached to the top and bottom mounting surfaces, respectively. 
   
   
     3. The device of  claim 1  wherein said longitudinal centerline of said residual limb socket is located from about 1 inch to about 2 inches anterior of said longitudinal centerline of said lower limb prosthesis when the residual limb socket and the lower limb prosthesis are attached to the top and bottom mounting surfaces, respectively. 
   
   
     4. The device of  claim 1  wherein said longitudinal centerline of said residual limb socket is located about 1.25 inches anterior of said longitudinal centerline of said lower limb prosthesis when the residual limb socket and the lower limb prosthesis are attached to the top and bottom mounting surfaces, respectively. 
   
   
     5. The device of  claim 1  wherein said top mounting surface is inclined posterior to anterior at an angle from about 8° to about 15° relative to said bottom mounting surface. 
   
   
     6. The device of  claim 1  wherein said top mounting surface is inclined posterior to anterior at an angle of about 10° relative to said bottom mounting surface. 
   
   
     7. The device of  claim 1  wherein said longitudinal centerline of said lower limb prosthesis is aligned along or behind a patient TKA (trochanter-knee-ankle) line. 
   
   
     8. The device of  claim 1  wherein said receptacle is threaded. 
   
   
     9. The device of  claim 1  wherein said pin is threaded. 
   
   
     10. The device of  claim 1  wherein said pin is shaped, dimensioned and oriented to be inserted into said receptacle, so as to pass through said aperture into said alignment bushing and pull said sleeve enclosed residuum into said residual limb socket and further attach said sleeve to said coupler body. 
   
   
     11. The device of  claim 10  wherein said pin is centered on said distal end of said socket when said pin is engaged in said receptacle. 
   
   
     12. The device of  claim 10  wherein said distal end of said socket further includes an attachment ring that has an inner side and a keyway and said pin passes through said keyway to attach said sleeve to said body. 
   
   
     13. The device of  claim 12  wherein said attachment ring further comprises a set of four apertures surrounding said keyway in a standard four-hole spacing arrangement. 
   
   
     14. The device of  claim 13  wherein said attachment ring includes three spherical grooves and has a cylindrical recess on said inner side. 
   
   
     15. The device of  claim 13  wherein said top mounting surface further comprises a set of four apertures surrounding said aperture in a standard four-hole spacing arrangement. 
   
   
     16. The device of  claim 15  wherein said apertures of said set of apertures of said top mounting surface receive attachment screws that attach said coupler body to said socket through said set of apertures of said attachment ring. 
   
   
     17. The device of  claim 1  wherein said pin has a length of not more than about 2.5 inches and a locking length of about 2 inches. 
   
   
     18. The device of  claim 1  wherein said pin has a distal tip that is semi-spherical. 
   
   
     19. The device of  claim 18  wherein said distal tip further includes a transverse aperture. 
   
   
     20. The device of  claim 1  wherein said body further comprises at least one recess. 
   
   
     21. The device of  claim 20  wherein said recess is elliptical. 
   
   
     22. The device of  claim 1  wherein said anterior area of said coupler body includes a face that is rounded. 
   
   
     23. The device of  claim 1  wherein said bottom mounting surface further comprises a set of four apertures configured in a standard four-hole spacing arrangement. 
   
   
     24. The device of  claim 23  wherein said apertures include lower surfaces that are threaded. 
   
   
     25. The device of  claim 24  wherein said apertures of said set of apertures of said bottom mounting surface receive attachment screws that attach said coupler body to a connector or to a prosthetic knee joint. 
   
   
     26. The device of  claim 1  wherein said bottom mounting surface connects to a prosthetic knee joint, which connects to a shin pylon, which connects to a tube clamp adapter, which connects to a prosthetic foot. 
   
   
     27. A coupler for connecting a residual limb socket to a lower limb prosthesis comprising:
 a coupler body having a top mounting surface and a bottom mounting surface and having an anterior area and a posterior area; 
 said top mounting surface connecting said top mounting surface to a residual limb socket at a defined location on said top mounting surface; 
 said bottom mounting surface connecting said bottom mounting surface to said lower limb prosthesis at a defined location on said bottom mounting surface; 
 said top and bottom mounting surfaces being horizontally offset such that a longitudinal centerline of said residual limb socket is located from about 0.5 to about 4.0 inches anterior of a longitudinal centerline of the lower limb prosthesis when said residual limb socket and said lower limb prosthesis are attached to the top and bottom mounting surfaces. respectively, of the coupler device; 
 said top mounting surface being inclined in the posterior to anterior direction at an angle from about 5° to about 20° relative to said bottom mounting surface; 
 said residual limb socket having a distal end and a proximal end, and said residual limb socket being attached to a sleeve having a proximal end and a distal end housing a receptacle; 
 wherein said coupler body further comprises an aperture on said top 
 mounting surface receiving both an alignment bushing and a pin, said pin comprising a shaft and a series of elevated rings along said shaft, and a transverse aperture at the top mounting surface which intersects said aperture of said top mounting surface when said pin is inserted, and said transverse aperture houses a locking mechanism. 
 
   
   
     28. The device of  claim 27  wherein said locking mechanism further comprises a toothed plunger, a button thumbscrew, a button clutch, a needle bearing, a button housing, a spring and a set screw. 
   
   
     29. The device of  claim 28  wherein said button thumbscrew has a thumbscrew. 
   
   
     30. The device of  claim 28  wherein said toothed plunger comprises a pinion and a shaft. 
   
   
     31. The device of  claim 30  wherein said pinion includes teeth that are spaced apart. 
   
   
     32. The device of  claim 31  wherein as said pinion rotates, said pinion mates with said elevated rings of said pin and said pin is drawn into said body or exits said body. 
   
   
     33. The device of  claim 30  wherein said pinion comprises a clutch bearing. 
   
   
     34. The device of  claim 30  wherein said pinion comprises a one-way ratchet. 
   
   
     35. A method of attaching a residual limb socket to a lower limb prosthesis in which the residual limb socket is horizontally anteriorly offset from the lower limb prosthesis and the residual limb socket is posteriorly to anteriorly inclined relative to the lower limb prosthesis comprising:
 providing a coupler device comprising a coupler body having a top mounting surface including an aperture and a bottom mounting surface and having an anterior area and a posterior area; 
 said top mounting surface connecting said top mounting surface to said residual limb socket at a defined location on said top mounting surface; 
 said bottom mounting surface being adapted to connect said bottom mounting surface to said lower limb prosthesis at a defined location on said bottom mounting surface; 
 mounting the residual limb socket to the top mounting surface of said coupler; 
 mounting the lower limb prosthesis to the bottom mounting surface of said coupler so that a longitudinal centerline of the residual limb socket is horizontally offset posteriorly from a longitudinal centerline of the lower limb prosthesis a distance in the range of from about 0.5 to about 4.0 inches and the residual limb socket is inclined at an angle in the range of from about 5° to about 20° from posterior to anterior relative to said lower limb prosthesis; and 
 disposing a locking mechanism having a toothed plunger including a pinion and a shaft within a transverse aperture of the coupler body; 
 inserting a pin comprising a shaft and a series of elevated rings along said shaft into the aperture on the top mounting surface; 
 intersecting said transverse aperture with said aperture of said top mounting surface when said pin is inserted; and 
 rotating said pinion such that the pinion mates with said elevated rings of said pin and said pin is drawn into said body or exits said body. 
 
   
   
     36. A coupler device for connecting a residual limb socket to a lower limb prosthesis comprising:
 a coupler body including a top mounting surface comprising an aperture sized to receive an alignment pin and a bushing, and a bottom mounting surface, 
 said top mounting surface connecting said top mounting surface to a residual limb socket at a defined location on said top mounting surface; 
 said bottom mounting surface connecting said bottom mounting surface to said lower limb prosthesis at a defined location on said bottom mounting surface; 
 wherein said socket has a distal end and a proximal end and contains a sleeve having a distal end and a proximal end; 
 wherein said distal end of said sleeve houses a receptacle; 
 wherein said coupler body further comprises an aperture on the top mounting surface receiving an alignment pin and a bushing; 
 wherein said pin is sized for insertion into said receptacle, to pass through said aperture into said alignment bushing and pull said sleeve enclosed residuum into said socket and to further attach said sleeve to said coupler body; and 
 wherein said distal end of said socket further includes an attachment ring that has an inner side and a keyway and said pin passes through said keyway to attach said sleeve to said coupler body.